The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-01-08
A PLUCkY SOLDIER.
DRAGGING A WOUNDED COMRACE
OFF THE FIELD AT GETTYSBURG.
A Drummer Boy Who Had to Shoulder
. Musket-His EscitabiIity while Tn
der the Confederate Fire-A Periious
Journey.


. Musket-His Exeitabiiity while In
der the Confederate Fire-A Periious
Journey.
Speaking about pluck" said Col Higgins,
OF Waverly, of whom u reporter had Just
been making inquiries, there goes fellow
whom / saw do rs nervy "A thing as | wit
Messed while | was III the service
The reporter looked across the street in the
direction in which the colonel had nodded,
and SAW Dick Enderliu ploddng along, hands
in pocket, III his matter OF fact. Indifferent
sort OF IA way.
1t was at Gettysburg remarked the
colonel, knocking the ashes from his cigar.
You probably knew that Dick enlisted as n
drummer boy. He was in my company, and
he beat dram for all that was out; beat IL
so hard that You couldn't find drum heads
enough III the army 10 keep him supplied,
and "A short time before the Getty sburg fight
he came TO me for the sixth or seventh drum
head, ami | just gave him a gun. He kicked
little. but took il, and made pretty good
Use Of IL afterward. too.
IL THE WHEAT FIELD.
Toward the close Of the first days fight at
Gettysburg our reSmental line stretched
along the crest of the ridge, adown the side
of which was a field of wheat almost ripe
enough for the reaper Much of il had been
cut that day, and more was destined to be
eat on the morrow-Cut by shot and shell
AMI swept by the musketry of the two
armies. On the opposite side of the field,
and but a frightfuliy short distance away,
were tine rebel lines. Twice that afternoon
We had charged across that wheat field in the
effort to drive the enemy from their position
and twice had we been driven hack leaving
niai.y dead and wounded man among the
" he. hir-I, hal
when ~ NJ down one could not been seen by
the enemy, and for some time before the
charge was ordered we had occupied the
position described, keeping up a sharp fire on
the enemy, and receiving as good sent
in return. l couldn't help but he amused at
Dick. In order to save the men as much az
possible. directed them 10 lie down to do
their loading, and only rise 10 deliver their
fire: but Dick insisted upon standing up all
the time. Three four times | yelled at
HIM Ia keep under cover or lie would get hit,
but, in IA few minutes excitement would get
the better of him and he would be on his
feet again, loading and firing rapidly
he could handle his piece
When the sun had gone down and the
shades of night had checked the firing CON
siderably several of us were standing
grouped together, looking out over the field
of wheat, wondering what had been the re-
suit of the days work and what would be the
result of the morrow, when we heard some
wounded man, way over in the wheat, groan-
ing terribly His means were sickening to
listen to, and it got SO after while that
couldn't stand il any longer. SO, taking off
my haversack, L handed it to Enderlin who
was standing by, and remarked that l was
going for that fellow.
\ TICKLIsH UNDERTAKING.
This, as every one knew, was a pretty
ticklish piece of business, for, although it was
then night, the moon was shining and at
every rustic of the wheat that indicated the
possibility of its being moved by human
being the Johnnies would send their musket
and rifle balls through it in way that made
it very unhealthy for any person that might
be- concealed there.
Still resolved to chance it, and getting
down on my hands and knees | began to
worm my way through the wheat in the di-
rectiOn of the groans. | had got but a few
yards, however, when | felt some one grasp
ME by the leg, and l heard Dicks voice:
:. Look here, ma jor' he said, You mustn't
go out there You might get killed, and we
can't spare you; let me go
why, don't believe you could get the
fellow in, Dick / replied; he is probably
hurt 50 bad that he has TO be carried. and |
don't believe you could carry a man in that
way and through that wheat
We'll, You just come back and let me try
it, said Dick, I'll bet you that bring him
in Saying which, Dick bolted ahead,
worming his way Oh his belly through the
wheat as carefully and cautiously posi-
BILE, so to avoid attracting attention,
while | returned to the line and awaited
results.
He was gone long time, so long that ]
began TO grow uneasy, but finally he made
his appearance, crawling on his stomach
through the wheat, and on his back, with his
arms clasped around his neck, was a poor
devil whose hip had been shattered by a
musket ball.
w here did you find him, DickF | asked
him, as we lifted the poor fellow off his back
He was within a couple of rods of
the rebel lines was Dicks reply, as he
crawled to his feet and stretched himself after
his long trip.
Dick said ], you a sergeant OF
course meant in embryo, for at that mo-
ment there wasn't any vacancy, but there
were plenty Of them within twenty-four
hours '-Chillicothe Leader Intery lew